


The Master’s Touch

by Paper_Crane_Song



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s04e06 The Master's Touch Affair, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paper_Crane_Song/pseuds/Paper_Crane_Song
Summary: The rescue scene from the season 4 episodeThe Master's Touch Affair, as experienced from Illya's perspective
Relationships: Illya Kuryakin & Napoleon Solo
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	The Master’s Touch

**Author's Note:**

> As someone who isn't tactile in the slightest, I am fascinated by those who are. I’ve noticed there are times in the series when Napoleon acts in a tactile way towards Illya, but it kind of seems as if Illya is tolerating it, and so Napoleon restrains himself. 
> 
> But then in this episode, when Illya really needs him to, Napoleon doesn't hold back. I was struck by the many ways in which Napoleon touched Illya in this scene, and Illya's response to it, so I thought I'd have a go at trying to represent it in writing. 
> 
> All the dialogue is taken from the episode. I hope you enjoy it. Feedback is always welcome, and thanks for reading.

He is here.

His hand on my back, my arm gripped tight

_ “Those are alarm bells. They know where Mandor is” _

Hand on the nape of my neck, warm on my skin

_ “Mandor, do you remember Mandor?” _

Mandor

Hands holding my chin, the back of my head, shaking me, forcing me to look

_ “We were in the car together in the hills with the briefcase” _

He is afraid

Slap slap on my head, trying to slap me back in

_ “Mandor!” _

He is afraid for me.

Hand rests on my shoulder, an apology

_ “Yeah, yeah I’ve got that sealed now. Piece of cement, the door’s locked. We won’t have any problems from them. There’s a hole there, we’ve got to cover it up otherwise they might chew through. We’ve got to figure a way of getting out of here also” _

His palm still cupping the back of my head. I lean into it. Smile

_ “Come on, up” _

Hand under my arm jerks me to my feet, then it lingers

_ “Okay, just stand here for a second” _

Hand squeezes my wrist - 

_ “All right?” _

Then he lets go.

Absence 

Lean on cold stone and Mandor comes creeping in

“Mandor”

I was betrayed - 

_ “Okay now. We’ve got to figure some way to get out of this. Give me a hand with this. Wake up!” _

Hand tight around my wrist pulling me towards the barrel

_ “Roll it” _

_ “Give me a hand” _

_ “Come on” _

_ “Wake up!” _

The barrel against the door

_ “Okay” _

Me against the wall

He taps my elbow

_ “Come on, give me a hand. He’ll come to soon, so will the one upstairs” _

The guard

The guard and Valandros 

Valandros and Mandor

Mandor. 

I was betrayed by - 

His hand gripping my arm as if afraid to let me go

_ “Put this on your head. Put this on. It’s a gas mask” _

Smell of rubber tugged over my face, catching at my hair. My hands fumble for the straps, find his hands already there 

_ “I’ve covered the walls outside with concentrated tear gas, body heat’s going to set it off. All right?” _

Blinkered vision and all I can see is him

He moves away and I follow but his hands are at my neck, over the front of my mask, turning my head, forcing me towards the wall, then his hand squeezes my shoulder. Hand on the back of my neck until the last moment as he reaches for the detonator 

The weight of his forearm braced across my back, his chest pressed close

_ “All right, keep it that way” _

Explosion

Fear and flinch into the wall and his hand clasping my shoulder 

_ “All right, now let’s get out of here” _

He tugs at my elbow, pulls at my waist and we sidestep in the most unlikely of dance moves as he leads me into position at the base of the window 

_ “Move out. Come on, up on that stool. Get your foot up” _

and echoes of ballrooms and tuxedos and his arm around me still as I am lifted  \- 

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. Is my name Illya?”

_ “Who cares? Come on, move out!” _

Arms wrap tight around my legs, lifting me up, up and - 

Running 

Running 

And then his hand

My hand in his 

His hand in mine.

_ Finis  _


End file.
